summer

The sun is setting, and the evening is cooling.
The sausages upon my BBQ have left me drooling.
With water and squash, and a dash of fizz,
Topped off with cake, this evening is bliss.

The wood upon the pit is crackling for hours,
Alongside the beauty of the summery forest flowers.
Easy to construct, robust and sturdy,
We’ll be sitting by the firepit until at least 1130.

The next morning has come, and it’s time to clean,
Which is easily done, now my firepit is pristine.
Back into it’s zipped bag, stored away for now,
My Primrose Firebowl has been has been nothing short of wow.

Over 200,000 revellers will descend upon Worthy Farm for the annual Glastonbury Festival today. Whilst they will be rocking out to the likes of Ed Sheeran, it is also inevitable that they will encounter a lot of rain and mud too. Yes I know, we’re in a heatwave, but it’s Glastonbury – it ALWAYS rains. Not to mention the fact they will be unable to shower for almost a week, will be slogging it on a camping mat and will be void of all the amenities you appreciate with every day life.

So, how do you enjoy Glastonbury without actually slogging it with the masses? Well bring Glastonbury to your garden of course! Whether you’re listening on the radio or watching on the TV, you can easily recreate that feeling of being there.

We’ve a few products to make your ‘Glastonbury Garden’ even better.

Gazebos
Recreate that feeling of being in a tent, but with a lot more space and freedom. I’d recommend the yellow party tent; it’s funky colours will help create that festive vibe. The majority of our gazebos are waterproof too, so you don’t have to worry about getting soaked!

Outdoor Rugs
Relax in comfort with a vibrant outdoor rug. Not only are they 100% waterproof, but they’re also really easy to clean thanks to their polypropylene material. You can sprawl out, and use these as a picnic blanket if you wish also (or even as a place for your pets to lay and join you).

BBQs
When you’re at a festival, chances are you’ll either be eating beans off a small stove, throwing gone-off burgers onto a disposable BBQ or will simply divulge in a liquid-only diet. However, now you have the opportunity to cook up a fresh feast, and eat like royalty in comparison to the campers.

Outdoor Heating
Leading on from the delight off freshly cooked, warm food, why not keep yourself warm too in the cool evenings? Avoid layering up and wrapping yourself in blankets, and opt for a heater or firepit instead. It will provide you and your guests with ultimate warmth throughout the evening, and no longer will you have to worry about the cold British weather. If you opt for a firepit, you can recreate that festival feeling of sitting round a campfire, singing to your hearts content too!

Solar Lighting
Add an enchanting glow to your Glastonbury Garden set up with solar lighting. Whether you want to stake them into the ground, or hang them up on your gazebo (or nearby trees), you can create a beautiful scene which will help guide you back your bed when it’s getting dark.

Bean Bags
Perfect for lounging around in your garden, why not sit back and relax whilst you enjoy the sound of Barry Gibb or Stormze. Why stand up on your feet all day, draining yourself at the main stage when you can sit back and crack open a cold one. No more sore feet. No uncomfy bottoms.

(photo credit to bigfire.co.uk)

So there you have it. Enjoy Glastonbury this year without the hustle and bustle of leaving your garden! And if you are planning on going to Glastonbury, let us know how you get on!

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Amie is a marketing enthusiast, having worked at Primrose since graduating from Reading University in 2014.

She enjoys all things sport. A keen football fan, Amie follows Tottenham Hotspur FC, and regularly plays for her local 5 a side football team.

Summer has slowly approached us in the UK, and even with the interruptions of rainy showers, it’s not enough to dampen our spirit. We’re sure you have something to celebrate this summer, whether it be: a wedding or engagement, a birthday party, a new home, a new baby or simply because you want to have a party!

So why not take your party outside, we have thought of everything you will need to have a garden party no matter the weather.

Gazebo

A gazebo is an absolute must if you are planning a garden party this summer. A gazebo protects you from all of the unpredictable wind, rain or scorching sun. If you have little ones around it’s a great place to protect them from the harmful rays or equally you can run for shelter if the weather takes a turn for the worst.

If you are thinking of a garden party on a grander scale, it may be worth considering purchasing a marquee that can hold a lot more people than the standard gazebo. Many people consider renting marquees, but there are plenty of reasonably priced luxury options that will allow you to re-use it again and again!

For events such as weddings or large scale celebrations, marquees offer a place to put your dance floor or a place to seat your guests for a dinner.

Outdoor Lighting

No doubt your garden party will last until the sun goes down, and when that happens you can illuminate your garden with an array of outdoor lighting. You can create a magical atmosphere with the addition of lights and be sure to wow your guests.

A popular option now for outdoor lighting is those that are solar powered. These lights will generate their power via the sun during the day, and have a pleasant glow when it gets dark. These are fantastic for saving money on your energy bills and are great for the environment. What’s not to love?

BBQ

Is there anything better than being in the sunshine with friends whilst smelling your lunch being grilled on the BBQ? We don’t think so.

Rather than buying disposable BBQs time and time again, why not spend the extra and buy a permanent one that will last you for many summers to come? Disposable BBQs can’t be recycled or composted so the investment is much better for the environment, and with the huge amount of styles now available, a stylish BBQ can be a great feature in your garden.

Garden Furniture

Of course it’s important to consider where your guests will sit at the garden party! Depending on how formal your party is there are a variety of options you can consider from benches, dining sets and even bean bags to create the perfect place for everyone to sit back and relax.

You also might want to consider a quirky drinks cooler that will get your guests talking, our recycled steel cooler can be used as a outdoor ornament for the rest of the year.

Outdoor Heaters

Let’s not kid ourselves, if you’re having a garden party in Britain it will no doubt turn to the chilly side at some point. There’s no need to move the party inside though, if you have an outdoor heater to keep you warm you can still party through the night.

Nowadays you have the option of a gas or electric heater depending on what your requirements are. Both have their advantages; take a read of our breakdown of Gas vs Electric Powered Heaters to help you make your mind up what will be best for your need.

We hope you have a great time at your garden party, send in your photographs of your Primrose products to photos@primrose.co.uk and you could win £5 worth of vouchers if they’re used!

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Zoë works in the Marketing team at Primrose, and is passionate about all things social media.

After travelling across Europe and Asia, Zoë is intrigued by different cultures and learning more about the world around her. If she’s not jet setting, Zoë loves nothing more than curling up with a good book and a large glass of red wine!

Composting is a huge trend in the gardening community and it has become a household norm to have a compost bin alongside your general waste and recycling bins. Although the thought of composting may seem cumbersome, there are a tonne of fantastic benefits of making your own compost.

Monty Don has shared his pearls of wisdom regarding the best way to compost, and if Monty is doing it, then it’s safe to say we should probably be doing it too!

What are the benefits of composting?

Composting at home has a heap of benefits including:

It helps cut CO2 emissions that are harmful to the environment.

It encourages natural wildlife such as small insects which then help to feed birds and hedgehogs.

By making your own compost you get to save money by not buying the expensive brands!

Turning your compost heap once monthly provides excellent exercise for you no matter what age or ability you are.

No matter the size of your home and garden there is an easy way for you to start composting. Head over to Recycle Now for specific tips on the space you have available.

How does it help the environment?

Rubbish ordinarily sent to a landfill omits harmful greenhouse gases because there is a lack of air getting to the waste. This in turn creates methane which can damage the Earth’s atmosphere. However, if you compost at home the oxygen will help the waste decompose aerobically which significantly reduces the methane produced, which is great news for the environment. By composting at home you also save the petrol used to transport compost rubbish sent to landfill each week!

How is the compost produced better?

The compost you can produce at home will help improve your soil structure and also help fight plant disease. Home produced compost contains ingredients your plant love such as: potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus which will make your plants look glorious all year round.

Won’t having a compost heap attract pests?

A well looked after compost bin should not attract any pests such as rats and flies unless it has not been properly secured. One way to help prevent these unwelcome guests is to make sure the moisture levels do not get too high, and you could also keep chicken wire at the base of the bin which can help obstruct an entrance for small mammals.

A compost bin will however host smaller creatures such as slugs and worms – but do not panic! These creatures will help decompose the waste in your compost bin, and they should love their home so much that they do not feel tempted to stray to other areas in your garden.

Won’t having a compost heap promote weeds?

There is a fear that homemade compost will introduce weeds into your garden. This will only happen if your compost bin does not produce enough heat to kill the weed seeds, so be sure to monitor the temperature of your compost heap with a thermometer – don’t let it drop below 43 degrees Celsius.

What time of year can I compost?

You can compost all year round!

Have we convinced you yet? Head over to our specialist range of compost bins to find the perfect one for you and your garden, and keep your eyes peeled for our next blog on How To Create The Perfect Compost!

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Zoë works in the Marketing team at Primrose, and is passionate about all things social media.

After travelling across Europe and Asia, Zoë is intrigued by different cultures and learning more about the world around her. If she’s not jet setting, Zoë loves nothing more than curling up with a good book and a large glass of red wine!